Russia has now become Europe’s largest consumer market – retail trade generates a quarter of gross domestic product. Most Russian retail chains have been copying the business model that has proved successful in the West. Their business model has proven beneficial for domestic industries oriented towards end consumers. Learning from the experience of western retailers Russian trade should take into account national peculiarities. To achieve a high level of international standards in retail is necessary to solve our own problems: specifics of the local markets, challenges of logistics and infrastructure, and low purchasing power of Russian consumers.